Now in their eleventh year, the Sustainable & ESG Investment Awards offer an opportunity to showcase expertise and commitment to investment factors that take into account environmental, social and ethical criteria as well as good corporate behaviour.

Despite the underperformance of fixed income we discuss in this Spotlight guide why the value proposition of the asset class hasn't gone away. In particular we review how the RLAM management team use existing, proven funds to actively manage consistent monthly income streams and adapt the portfolio to changing interest rate and credit market factors.

Within this guide, you will find some surprising survey results from FE, a selection of adviser opinions and some Architas views too. We hope this guide will provide you with some food for thought on this burning issue.

Equiniti Group sells Xafinity Consulting to CBPE Capital

Equiniti Group has agreed to sell Xafinity Consulting business to CBPE Capital.

The deal remains subject to certain conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected to close during the first quarter of 2013. Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.

Equiniti said the sale of Xafinity Consulting was consistent with its strategy to refine the group's core focus - and to develop its business process services offering under the Equiniti Group brand with a focus on larger scale complex administration and financial processing contracts

Xafinity Consulting - comprising actuarial, pensions, healthcare and employee benefit consulting and administration as well as, self-invested pensions and independent trusteeship - will continue to operate under the Xafinity brand.

Xafinity's other pension operations Paymaster and Claybrook will remain within the Equiniti Group.

Equiniti Group chief executive Wayne Story said: "Our strategy is to develop the Equiniti Group as a market leading specialist business process services provider.

"Having considered the strategic alternatives, we believe that separating the Xafinity Consulting business now is the right course of action for both Xafinity Consulting and the wider Equiniti Group, enabling each to a have a clear focus. We fully expect both businesses to continue to work in close partnership in key areas of mutual interest in the pensions market."

Xafinity Consulting managing director Robert Birmingham (pictured) added: "Xafinity Consulting will continue to concentrate on its existing markets within which we have significant ambitions to develop and expand our range of services and products.

"The expertise, funding and supportive approach of our new owners will set us up well to achieve these ambitions to the benefit of our clients and our business."